Why Does My Dog Bark?

Barking is natural and normal but when it happens excessively it’s time to do something about it. One of the most common complaints received by the council is a dog barking. So, before you have the authorities knocking on your door, you need to understand why your pet barks continuously and robs you of your peace of mind.

BoredomOne of the most common reasons why your pet barks is boredom. When they have plenty of time and don’t know what to do, they bark. It’s their way of communicating with you that they’re bored.

To solve this problem, play games with your pet every day and set aside some time to do some activities together. It’s also a good idea to take your dog out for a walk if the barking doesn’t stop. A change of scenery should help him calm down for a while.

Obsessive BarkingSome pets have deeply rooted behavioural problems that cause them to bark continuously. What’s worse is that once the barking starts, it doesn’t just die down on its own. Older pets tend to howl loudly, breaking the silence of the night.

If this describes your pet, consider hiring the services of a professional animal behaviourist in order to resolve this issue.

AnxietyCertain stimuli in the environment may be causing your pet to feel fearful or anxious. If this is the case, you need to talk about your pet’s anxiety with the vet. If necessary, the vet may prescribe certain medications that will help your dog to remain calm. Your dog may also show signs of separation anxiety by barking or howling when you leave the home.

There are ways to work around separation anxiety. Once you’ve trained your pet to stay calm in your absence, the barking should stop.

Attention SeekingSome dogs bark in order to grab your attention. If your pet is feeling a bit left out, they might do this in order to draw you closer to him. If you shout back, they might think you’re simply adding to the noise they’re creating and this will only encourage them to continue barking. Refrain from yelling back and try to first identify the cause of barking.

Lastly, don’t ever allow your pet to enter the house if they’ve been barking continuously for a while. This will only positively reinforce the behaviour and you will likely have to deal with many such episodes in the future.

Dealing with Barking PetsIt’s not always easy to figure out why pets behave in socially unacceptable ways. In order to rule out any physical conditions, it’s best to take the dog to the vet for a thorough check-up. If the barking is more of a behavioural issue, you’ll have to work with a trainer to get this behaviour modified.

VetMed has a team of highly educated and skilled veterinary doctors. We offer general veterinary care, veterinary surgical services, dog vaccinations and dog grooming in 3 locations in Sydney, equipped with state of the art machines to deal with your pet’s medical concerns. We also have clean and safe dog boarding facilities in Sydney with a team of well-educated and highly trained nurses.

For more help and advice on canine health, visit us online or contact an office closest to you.